Tailings were removed from those sites.ĭecontaminated Monte Cristo trail and townsite to be reopened | HeraldNet. Minerals were concentrated near the assay shack where ore was examined, the concentrator where it was processed, the collector where it was stored and the Comet Terminal where a tram up to Comet Mine ended. The cleanup centered on five locations near the old town and three mines farther out in the wilderness. For the first two miles and the last quarter mile it follows the old Everett & Monte Cristo. Since 2006, the route has been damaged from avalanche and flood, primarily in the first mile. The tailings have particularly high levels. Monte Cristo is 4.1 miles from Barlow Pass along a gated county road maintained since 1984 by volunteers from the Monte Cristo Preservation Association. The biggest problems were arsenic and lead, which are found naturally in the same rocks where miners once searched for gold at Monte Cristo. Planning for the cleanup started more than a decade ago. The trails and town were closed over summer and fall while crews cleaned up mine tailings contaminated with toxic minerals. Forest Service plans to reopen the popular Monte Cristo hiking trail and historic townsite by the end of May. Park and find the gated Monte Cristo Road on the right side of the road, opposite the trailhead parking lot.Published: Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 12:01 a.m. Take the MLH for 31 miles to Barlow Pass. Take a right and follow for about nine miles to the Mountain Loop Highway. The well-kept historic site is filled with intact remnants of what was once there. In just under two miles, you’ll reach Highway 92 to Granite Falls. The Ghosts of Monte Cristo: Lingering Souls of the Silver Mines The Silver Rush: The ghost town of Monte Cristo is a mysterious marvel, hidden in the depths of the Mt. Take the left onto Highway 9 toward Lake Stevens. Stay in the left lane and merge onto Lake Stevens Highway 204. To get there, take I-5 North to Exit 194. Help support and the work we do by picking up a copy! You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many more hikes throughout the State. There's a lot more to Monte Cristo, and you can learn all about it in our book, Hiking Through History Washington. Luckily, even though a little snow has fallen, you still have some weekends left to visit Monte Cristo before it’s shuttered until 2015. How the new road will be used after the cleanup is still undecided. The cleanup will begin in fall of 2013 lasting to the summer of 2015, during that time the plan is to close the townsite. The road is being built to support a massive cleanup effort focusing on containing the arsenic and other heavy metals churned up by Monte Cristo’s mining past. A new access road will be on the other side of the river, connecting with the current road after the washout. There were 13 mines and 40 claims by 1891. This hike’s only challenge is the river crossing, but that may soon be changing. The ghost town of Monte Cristo was the first live mining camp on the west slopes of the Cascade Range located in Snohomish County Washington. Or you can retrace the pre-railroad approach to Monte Cristo with hike up to Poodle Dog Pass #708, named in honor of Frank Peabody’s dog, which he evidently took with him when he climbed the pass on his way to Monte Cristo from Mineral City. If that’s the case you can continue up to Glacier Falls and Glacier Basin. After you are done touring the town you may be looking to do a little more hiking. To get the most out of your visit, we recommend you stop at the Verlot Ranger Station on your way out to Barlow Pass to pick up a pamphlet that includes a map of Monte Cristo and explanations of the various marked sites in the town. This is a decent hike that should be approachable for almost anyone, especially those interested in a little history.
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